This Airline Accidentally Tried to Charge a Passenger $770 Million for Extra Space

While we're usually the first to tell you that little upgrades like putting yourself in economy plus are worth it, we'll also be the first to say it's not $770 million worth it.

In April, comedian Dave O'Neil took to social media to share his experiences booking an extra space seat with Qantas Airlines for his very first flight in Australia since the COVID pandemic. While excited to be flying again, O'Neil shared that the airline accidentally attempted to charge him $987,999,999 Australian dollars (about $770 million USD) for those few extra inches of space.

"Hey @Qantas all I wanted was extra legroom on my flight to Perth, very happy to pay for it but this seems a bit expensive....," O'Neil tweeted along with a screenshot of the booking showing a $987,999,999 AUD price tag.

His tweet quickly garnered attention from fellow travelers who got in on the joke by asking "And how much did it cost for additional luggage?" and "Slightly — almost normal though really,", and even, "I think you may have accidentally bought the entire aircraft."

The airline finally replied to the comedian's original tweet sharing, "Hmmm...does look slightly over the normal price. Would love to take a look at it Dave. Please DM us the booking reference and we'll take a look."

A Qantas spokesperson shared with 9News, "While we know that customers really value extra legroom, the price displayed was definitely a bit of a stretch." The spokesperson added, "We can confirm the passenger was charged the correct amount of $70 per sector for the extra legroom and we're investigating what caused the incorrect amount to be displayed."

But hey, on some flights a few extra million for extra space is worth it, right?

Stacey Leasca is a journalist, photographer, and media professor. Send tips and follow her on Instagram now.